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Carolina Crown became a World Class World Champion for the first time in drum corps history Saturday, Aug. 10, as the 2013 DCI World Championships concluded at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Carolina Crown became a World Class World Champion for the first time in drum corps history Saturday, Aug. 10, as the 2013 DCI World Championships concluded at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Not since 1996 has DCI named a first-time World Champion, and never before has it had a Champion that started as an Open Class/Division II corps.

The South Carolina corps’ 2013 production “E=mC2” led them to victory, taking home a final overall score of 98.30 and caption awards for Visual Performance, Brass and General Effect. “For Crown coming from Division II way back when, it's unbelievable,” Crown executive director Jim Coates said. “It shows that anyone can come from the last place we took our first year out. [This season] is not so much about the win, it's about the experience of excellence and teaching the kids.”

Finishing in second, 2012’s World Champion, Blue Devils (98.05), earned top honors in the Color Guard caption. The Cadets (3rd, 96.95) took home the bronze medal with their production “Side by Side.”

After many years of dreaming and research and pre-production and anticipation, the creators of this hour-long, public television documentary about jazz vocalists Connie, Martha, and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell, are hoping to secure funds needed to finalize the project through Kickstarter.After many years of dreaming and research and pre-production and anticipation, the creators of this hour-long, public television documentary about jazz vocalists Connie, Martha, and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell, are hoping to secure funds needed to finalize the project through Kickstarter.

Ever since the trio retired from show business in 1936, there have been all too infrequent resurgences of interest in their work. Their devoted admirers have continued to sing the praises of this truly revolutionary music over the years, but now the Sisters are about to experience a real Renaissance with the opening of a major exhibit at The Historic New Orleans Collection, the completion of a book about their lives and career, and the premiere of this film.

Funds will go toward expenses such as purchasing the rights to use the Boswell Sisters' films, photographs, and recordings, along with paying for a number of trips to locations such as New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon to complete interviews, along with hiring a production company.

Pearl/Adams Artist Dr. John Wooton has been very busy this Summer, conducting clinics and masterclasses across the Eastern U.S. Pearl/Adams Artist Dr. John Wooton has been very busy this Summer, conducting clinics and masterclasses across the Eastern U.S. Dr. Wooton's first stop was the 4th annual Southeastern Percussion Festival, hosted by Dr. Jeff Grant at Prattville High School, Prattville, Ala. Dr. Wooton's clinic focused primarily on marching percussion, while also presenting material on drumset, steel pans, and improvisation in percussion.

Next, Dr. Wooton traveled to Glen Rock, Pa. for the Susquehannock Percussion Festival, where he performed a concerto with the SHS Percussion Ensemble, conducted a clinic for the SHS Drumline, and performed a solo recital. This festival also included a clinic for the 75+ attending percussion students, where Dr. Wooton enlightened them to new concepts on playing technique and how to grow as a player.

Dr. Wooton's final stop was the 2013 Summer Drummin' at Southern Miss Percussion Camps, hosted at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. This series of camps featured a Mallet Keyboard Camp, Middle School Percussion Camp, Drumset Camp, and Marching Percussion Camp. A total of 200 students attended the various camps, including students traveling from as far away as Trinidad and Argentina. Dr. Wooton's special guest clinicians for the camps included Jeff Mills, Kelton Norris, Josanne Francis, Andy Gilstrap, Drew Wooton, Hawley Gary, Troy Breaux, Scott Jamison, Lee Hansen, and Curti Pierre.

Kicking off Jazz at Lincoln Center's (JALC) 2013-14 education season, JALC introduces new Swing University discounted course packages. For the first time, jazz fans can register for three courses - one course in each Fall, Winter and Spring term - for a discounted rate.Kicking off Jazz at Lincoln Center's (JALC) 2013-14 education season, JALC introduces new Swing University discounted course packages. For the first time, jazz fans can register for three courses - one course in each Fall, Winter and Spring term - for a discounted rate.

Swing University's new course packages, designed by JALC curator and renowned historian Phil Schaap, include courses exploring the following topics: "High-Energy Jazz from 3 Deities," focusing on the contributions of Albert Ayler, Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Tatum; "70 Years of Jazz Genius," a study of the careers of John Coltrane, James P. Johnson, and Jelly Roll Morton; "3 Breakthroughs That Reshaped Jazz," how bebop, the evolution and development of big band jazz, and the Chicagoans influenced rhythm, orchestration, and improvisation; "Become a Jazz Expert in 3 Easy Steps," a core curriculum designed as the backbone of Swing University, Jazz 101, 201, and 301 courses.

New York City jazz musicians and Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians lead a leafleting and demonstration in Madison Square Park to raise awareness of the ongoing battle to establish union benefits for jazz musicians.New York City jazz musicians and Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians lead a leafleting and demonstration in Madison Square Park to raise awareness of the ongoing battle to establish union benefits for jazz musicians.

With the support of a live, six-piece jazz band, marchers advocated for fair treatment of all professional musicians in New York City and beyond. "Justice for Jazz Artists" aims to raise awareness of the challenges specific to many jazz musicians who play New York City's most affluent clubs. These musicians demand a fair minimum pay scale, direct pension contributions, protections around recordings and a fair grievance process. The group advocates that due to the tax cut achieved in concert with the union, the major NYC jazz clubs like the Blue Note, Iridium, Village Vanguard, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, The Jazz Standard and Birdland can also afford to do right by the musicians who bring patrons through their doors.

Carline Ray, one of the great jazz pioneers, an activist in women's rights, a performer and educator, and an active member of Saint Peter's Church, died at Isabella House in Manhattan on July 18, 2013.Carline Ray, one of the great jazz pioneers, an activist in women's rights, a performer and educator, and an active member of Saint Peter's Church, died at Isabella House in Manhattan on July 18, 2013. She was 88 years old. Carline is survived by her daughter, Catherine Russell, also a great musician, her sister Irma Sloan, and nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Carline Ray was born 21 April 1925, New York City, New York, USA. Ray entered the Juilliard School of Music when she was 16 and studied composition. There, she also first played jazz, joining Edna Smith, a fellow student and bass player, gradually becoming adept on this instrument. Ray joined Erskine Hawkins And His Orchestra in 1948 as a singer but also played guitar rather than simply sitting idle between vocal numbers. She continued to study, gaining a master's degree in voice in 1956. Throughout the next two decades Ray worked constantly, singing and playing all the instruments upon which she was proficient, in a wide variety of musical settings. In 1981 she was awarded a grant to study the acoustic bass under renowned jazzman Major Holley. Some of her performing credits as bassist include working with Sy Oliver Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra directed by Mercer Ellington, pianist/composer Mary Lou Williams, trombonist-composer Melba Liston, and singer Ruth Brown.

In 2005, Carline was the recipient of the Kennedy Center's Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival Award, and in 2008, she received an IWJ (International Women In Jazz) Award. Carline is also featured in the documentary film 'The Girls in the Band,' directed by Judy Chaikin and in 2013 she released her debut recording produced by her daughter Catherine Russell, Carline Ray "Vocal Sides."

The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation has approved 63 grants worth $2.3 million to arts and arts education organizations, the majority of its latest round of awards. The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation has approved 63 grants worth $2.3 million to arts and arts education organizations, the majority of its latest round of awards. In all, the Morristown foundation announced 94 grants totaling $4 million for programs in the arts, environment, education, and media.

The Dodge board awarded 41 grants totaling $1.6 million to mostly New Jersey arts organizations. The largest grants of $125,000 are given to the Newark Museum and the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison. McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton and Morris Arts in Morristown each receive $75,000.

First-time winners in the arts category include Ramapo College of New Jersey ($15,000) and the Trenton Museum Society ($7,500). The majority of the foundation’s 26 education grants support art projects and organizations, including $60,000 to the New Jersey Charter Schools Association to help it bring arts programs to its member schools and $30,000 to VHI Save the Music Foundation to restore music education to two Trenton middle schools.

A summer program in Detroit is giving elementary and middle school students the chance to be involved with music education, even if just for six weeks. A summer program in Detroit is giving elementary and middle school students the chance to be involved with music education, even if just for six weeks. It’s the first time many of them have ever played an instrument. The “Let Our Children Hear Music” at Detroit’s Timbuktu Academy of Science and Technology was put in place by Australian saxophonist Kelly O’Hara with the help of Charity Music of Michigan. Charity Music of Michigan, led by retired Chrysler executive Roger Fachini, has been in operation as a non-profit since 2005, providing free instruments to Hurricane Katrina survivors and partnering with music therapists.

A new German study has found a correlation between musical skills and reading skills in young children.A new German study has found a correlation between musical skills and reading skills in young children. The study examined 159 students and found that children who received specialist music training twice a week for eight months had a significantly greater increase in various reading skills than those in other groups. A second group was given visual arts training, while a third was given no extra training at all.

According to the Guardian, researchers found that the ability to analyze rhythmic patterns and tone lengths had a particularly positive effect on “decoding skills” while reading, while tone and pitch skills did not appear to be as beneficial.

The 66-year-old tradition of the Texas Bandmasters Association in San Antonio continued this week as educators from across the region gathered for educational clinics, concerts, and a trade show. The 66-year-old tradition of the Texas Bandmasters Association in San Antonio continued this week as educators from across the region gathered for educational clinics, concerts, and a trade show. The Texas Bandmasters Association hosts the largest annual state bandmasters association convention in the country, with over 6,500 people in attendance, including 2,400 band directors and more than 600 industry-related exhibit booths at the Annual Texas Bandmasters Association Convention/Clinic.

Visiting performers included the Salt River Brass, The U.S. Air Force Band of the West, the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony, DCI group Boston Crusaders, and more. The convention’s featured clinician was Eugene Migliaro Corporon, who is the conductor of the Wind Symphony and Regents Professor of Music at the University of North Texas. Corporon has recorded over 600 works, including many premieres and commissions, with over 100 recordings on the Toshiba/EMI, Klavier, Mark, CAFUA, Donemus, Soundmark, GIA, Albany, Naxos, and Centaur labels. The conference’s featured composer was Steven Bryant, who composes music across a variety of media and ensembles, ranging from electronic and electro-acoustic works, to chamber music, to works for wind ensembles and orchestras.

Directors who make a Difference

For over 20 years, School Band & Orchestra Magazine has been honoring amazing music educators from all 50 states. That's more than 1000 educators recognized for their outstanding contributions to music education programs!

Do you know a fantastic K-12 instrumental music educator who is deserving of recognition in SBO? Tell us why he or she should be featured in SBO’s annual "Directors Who Make a Difference" report.